autumn leaf

Really need your critiques and advices how to make this image looks

better and thank you all for viewing.

Sirinat, there is nothing wrong with the way you have presented this photograph. As far as making it look better there are a number of alterations that could be done. In the end you are the only person qualified to decide whether or not the alterations make the photograph look better.

This photograph is basically about three things, color, figure/ground and lines, any of which can be altered.

Color: you could intensify the color (which you may have already done to some degree.) Digital sometimes does not do the best job of capturing warm colors so by using a Color Booster that favors the warm colors, yellow/red, you could intensify that aspect of the image. You could play with Hue and warm the greens in the background to create a more monochromic color scheme. You could drop all color by converting to black and white which would leave only the two elements figure/ground and lines and put greater emphasis on contrast and form.

Figure/Ground: As you have presented the photograph the figure (the leaf) is slightly favored. You could make the photograph more about figure/ground by reducing the amount of the leaf to where it is equal with the ground (the negative space.) IMO, the extremely out of focus area at the bottom of the photograph doesn’t add much to the statement and could easily be removed (see additional comments below.) Conversely you could reduce the amount of ground and give even more emphasis to the figure.

Line: The two most prominent features of this photograph is first the Color and second the Line created by the rim lighted edge of the leaf. The weakest elements in the photograph are the severely out of focus are at the bottom, the sharp color change and the dark straight diagonal line of the stem on the lower right that competes with and draws attention away from the much more interesting line of the leaf edge. IMO, you may not agree. These weak elements do not add interest to the photograph—they are non-essential to the color, figure/ground or the line. Anything that does not add to the photograph detracts from the photograph and, again IMO, these two elements distract from the beauty of the colors and the interest of the edge of the leaf. As far as I can tell they are only there to fit the composition into a specific format.

Another Option, is to darken the lower edge and the lower right corner fairly heavily. That camouflages the out of focus portion and if it is darkened enough will hide the straight diagonal line and remove the lighter right corner while at the same time giving a stronger base to the image. 

Those are the elements that you have at your disposal. Changing any of them will create a different image with different emphasis. You might play with them to see if any feel a stronger presentation to you. And, in the end, you may come to the conclusion that what you have now is what you want
to say with the image.

Hello Gary,

Thank you so much for your comment. This is what I need to hear! :-) As a newbie in photography, I really can't see how to make it in a better way. I just know that it was something that's not correct in my eyes but didn't know what it was or how to make a change.

Your explanation makes me see thing clearly like you've opened my eyes and I'll try to make a better shot next time and will think about your advice. It seems like I still have so much more to learn. :-)

Thank you once again for taking your time to give me precious advice which I really, truly appreciate it.

Regards,

Sirinat

You are more than welcome. It is very nice just as it is but like almost all photographs it can be made stronger. It is unfortunate that we cannot carry a tube of hindsight in our gadget bags. LOL  Look forward to keeping up with your posts. Regards, Gary